Senate votes to repeal application of Jackson-Vanik provisions to Ukraine (11/27/05)

Senate votes to repeal application of Jackson-Vanik provisions to Ukraine

by Serhiy Zhykharev
Ukrainian National Information Service

WASHINGTON - During an early evening session on Friday, November 18, the United States Senate passed by unanimous consent S. 632, a bill to repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment for Ukraine and grant Ukraine Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR). The bill was sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and received bipartisan support from other members of the United States Senate.

In a "Dear Colleague" letter written in late October 2005, Sens. Lugar and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) emphasized the need to repeal the Jackson-Vanik Amendment as a means by which "the U.S. must remain committed to assisting Ukraine in pursuing market economic reforms."

"The permanent waiver of Jackson-Vanik and establishment of permanent normal trade relations will be the foundation on which further progress in a burgeoning economic partnership can be made," they wrote.

S. 632 received the support of nearly a dozen members of the Senate including: Sam Brownback (R-Kan.), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), John McCain (R-Ariz.) Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) and John Sununu (R-N.H.).

Commenting on the passage of S632, Sen. Lugar stated: "... this bill signals the commitment of the U.S. to support freedom and prosperity in Ukraine. The U.S. should continue to work with Ukraine to address trade issues between the two nations."

The Bush administration also expressed support for the repeal of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment.

The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA), and its Washington bureau, the Ukrainian National Information Service (UNIS), were among the organizations and groups advocating the repeal of this measure.

Michael Sawkiw, Jr., president of the UCCA and director of UNIS, commented on the bill's passage: "The repeal of the Jackson-Vanik amendment has sent a message to Ukraine that the United States is a true strategic partner and will assist that country in its economic reform agenda. This archaic law of the former Soviet-era is now left for the history books."

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